Is breakfast the most important meal of the day?

By Dr. W. Gifford Jones

February 25, 1990

Do you ever feel guilty about rushing to work without eating breakfast? Or about grabbing a doughnut and a cup of coffee on the run before tackling the day's problems? For years our Mother's insisted that breakfast was the kingpin of sound daily nutrition. But were they right? Do the facts show that a robust breakfast leads to good health and longevity? And what constitutes a "healthy" breakfast?

Dr. Jeanne Goldberg, assistant professor of nutrition and dietetics at Tufts University says that skipping breakfast does not improve our day. She warns in the Tufts University Diet and Nutrition Letter that,"people who skip breakfast may be in danger of violating the principles of good nutrition."

But Dr. Goldberg adds this proviso. You have to look at the total picture at the end of the day. If you use the lack of a substantial breakfast as a defence for consuming potato chips and candy at lunch it's time to return to Mother's advice.

Ellyn Satter, author of the book," How to get your kid to eat, but not too much", also comes out in favour of breakfast. She says children, "seem to function better during the morning if they have something to eat and will regulate their intake of food better if they spread it over the course of a day rather than all at once.

Tuft's University reports that the University of Texas has facts to back up this theory. Researchers there found that the lack of breakfast caused problems for students later in the morning. They had less ability to reach solutions and conclusions, probably the result of decreased blood sugar levels.

They cite other evidence to prove that Mother was no fool. Researchers at the University of California observed 7,000 men and women for 10 years. They reported that those who remembered breakfast lived longer.

But alas, Mother's advice is not without critics. Arnold Bender, a London professor of nutrition, reported in The British Journal of Nutrition a study of 50 children between the ages of 8 and 16 whose mental performances had nothing to do with their consumption of breakfast.

Dr. Lawrence Finberg, Chairman of the Committee on Nutrition at the American Academy of Pediatrics, offers some practical advice in the Tuft's report. He declines to recommend that children not eat breakfast. But he suggests there's no hard evidence that anyone is worse off if he or she starts the day without it. As a matter of fact none of the doctors could irrevocably prove that Mother was right. But there's little disagreement about what constitutes a healthy breakfast.

Ellyn Satter makes a novel suggestion for those who skip the traditional breakfast because they're bored with it. She says there's nothing etched in stone that says you can't eat last night's leftover pizza. After all, there's carbohydrate in the crust, protein and calcium in the cheese, and vitamin A and C in the tomato sauce.

If you enjoy eggs, but are concerned about their cholesterol content, the Tuft's report has a good suggestion. Just scramble the white of two eggs but remove the second yolk. All of the egg's 270 milligrams of cholesterol is contained in the yolk. This also eliminates 60 calories from the meal.

I'm going to see if the Tuft's report can change my own questionable habits. I'll no longer pour a glass of orange juice and rush out the door in the morning. Rather, I'll get organized the night before. I'll prepare pancakes by using whole-wheat flour, skim milk, and one egg and place this mix in the refrigerator overnight. The next morning it will be simple to pour this on the griddle. Or I'll make French toast using whole-wheat bread. These recipes add fiber to the meal. And I'll substitute apple butter for maple syrup.

I'm going to toss other traditions out the window as well, and try new combinations. For instance, there's no reason why I can't squash a banana on whole wheat bread instead of using sugar-rich marmalade. Or add a little peanut butter which is higher in fat, but a good source of protein. And there's no law that says you can't have a slice of lean turkey or skinless chicken in the morning.

This weekend I'm going to prepare in advance for the week's morning hassles. No more buying an overpriced blueberry muffin with 400 calories on the way to work. Instead Im going to make my own whole-wheat muffins and sweeten them with raisins or blueberries rather than sugar. If I make 24 at a time they can be stored in the freezer for weeks.

So far my past routine hasn't killed me. But I admit it's open to criticism and doesn't make sense for the active lifestyle. Besides Mrs G-J has always considered me an imbecile in the kitchen. I can hardly wait to impress her with my culinary expertise!

W. Gifford-Jones M.D is the pen name of Dr. Ken Walker graduate of Harvard. Dr. Walker's website is: Docgiff.com

My book, �90 + How I Got There� can be obtained by sending $19.95 to:

Giff Holdings, 525 Balliol St, Unit # 6,Toronto, Ontario, M4S 1E1

Pre-2008 articles by Gifford Jones

Canada Free Press, CFP Editor Judi McLeod